UP CM Yogi Adityanath Announces Mandatory Singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ in All Educational Institutions

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday announced that the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ will be made compulsory in all educational institutions across the state. The move comes amid a political row over the national song after Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently claimed that key stanzas were dropped from it in 1937.

Speaking at an ‘Ekta Yatra’ (Unity March) event in Gorakhpur, the chief minister said the decision aims to foster a deeper sense of pride and reverence for the nation among students.

“There should be a sense of respect for the national song Vande Mataram. We will make its singing compulsory in every school and educational institution of Uttar Pradesh,” Adityanath said, according to PTI.

‘Ensure No New Jinnahs Are Created’

Adityanath also warned against forces seeking to divide the country on communal or regional lines.

“Our duty is to identify elements that divide people in the name of caste, region, and language — those who are part of a conspiracy to create new Jinnahs. We must ensure no new Jinnah ever arises in India again,” he said.

Political Row Over PM Modi’s Remarks

The announcement comes as the Congress continues to demand an apology from Prime Minister Modi for his remarks last week, where he said that removing stanzas from Vande Mataram in 1937 “sowed the seeds of partition.”

Congress leaders have accused the prime minister of distorting history and “insulting” the Congress Working Committee (CWC) of 1937, which issued a statement on the song after consultations with Rabindranath Tagore.

Party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh posted on X that several freedom movement stalwarts — including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Maulana Azad — were part of that meeting. He said the CWC’s position was deeply influenced by Tagore’s advice and stressed that the prime minister had “insulted both the CWC and Gurudev.”

Historical Context

Prime Minister Modi made his remarks while inaugurating the 150th anniversary celebrations of Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and first published in Bangadarshan magazine on November 7, 1875. The song was later sung by Rabindranath Tagore at a session of the Indian National Congress in 1896.

The decision by the UP government to mandate the song’s recital is expected to spark further political debate as the country continues its year-long commemoration of Vande Mataram.